Staying Fit
Ray Ruschel: On the first day of practice camp last summer, the other football players thought I was a coach. I mean, it’s a college team, and I was 49 years old.
When I told them I was trying out for the squad, they thought it was all a joke. Then we got our pads on, and they saw that I was serious.
I had played football in high school, but I never went to college. Instead, I went into the military. As part of the Army National Guard, I have been deployed both domestically and overseas. Between deployments, I work as a mechanic at a sugar-beet processing plant.
You can subscribe here to AARP Veteran Report, a free e-newsletter published twice a month. If you have feedback or a story idea then please contact us here.
A couple of years ago, I figured an associate degree would help me get a promotion at the plant. North Dakota State College of Science is only six blocks from my apartment in Wahpeton, and I have military benefits that would make it very affordable, so I thought, Why not?
Since it’s a two-year school, I didn’t expect them to have a football team, but they do. And it’s a really good one. I figured I might as well try out.
My National Guard squad had already been training for our annual combat fitness test, and when the guys found out I wanted to go out for football, they got me whipped into really good shape. At the practice camp, I made the team as a defensive tackle.
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
I’m not a starter, but I do get in games. And every time I do, I say to myself, “Concentrate and don’t screw up.” I make tackles. I make plays. I feel amped. My adrenaline is flowing. I don’t really feel the aches or pains while I’m on the field. A couple hours after practice is a different story, but it’s nothing major. And I couldn’t be playing with a better team; the guys treat me like one of their own.
Last year, we made it to the national finals in our division and lost the championship in a heartbreaker: The score was 14-12. This year we’re planning to go all the way.
Playing football is probably a 30-hour-a-week commitment on top of school and my night-shift job, but it’s worth it. It has made me understand that there’s nothing you can’t achieve if you put your mind to it, no matter your age. My advice is, go after your dreams — especially that one thing that you didn’t think you could do.
Ray Ruschel, 50, lives in Wahpeton, North Dakota, where he works at the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and studies business management.
You can subscribe here to AARP Veteran Report, a free e-newsletter published twice a month. If you have feedback or a story idea then please contact us here.
More From AARP Veteran Report
Understanding Health Care Benefits for Veterans
Everything you need to know about VA and insurance coverage as a civilianMY HERO: Sister Sets Out to Find Brother's Comrades
Vic Best died bravely in 1967. Now, his sister is giving back to veterans.5 Secrets for Veteran Starting Their Own Business
Pro tips that will set you up for success as an entrepreneur8 New Military Museums That Will Honor Veterans
Exciting plans for new opportunities to learn about military skill and sacrifice in U.S. history